I Chose To Rest

Yesterday, I slept in until nearly 10 AM. I debated the night before as to whether or not I would go in to the office, but I was so exhausted, it didn’t matter. And after I woke up, I chose not to go in to the Office. I chose, instead to rest. Work will always be there, but I chose to take some time, and recuperate. Reading my Bible, prayer, spending the day with my family; all of these took priority over work. Jesus said He was Lord of the Sabbath. He said that Man wasn’t made for the Sabbath, but Sabbath was made for Man. And He is the Lord of the Sabbath, so I chose Him over me, even in rest.

Loved ones, I think all too often when we have a day off, we choose to put things in to it that, quite frankly, don’t matter.  We tack on work, we choose to seek entertainments or activities, and whatever else we want to fill our time with, but only one thing is necessary: sitting at the feet of Jesus, and enjoying His presence. This does not have to be a once a week thing! Jesus is our rest, even at work, and when we come home from work. While we work, we do so, not out of obligation to bills or a paycheck, but to Christ Himself, making work a delight, because He is our rest and comfort. When we come home, even should chores be what awaits us, He can be our rest, because everything we do is for Him. When we sit and rest, it should be Him we fill ourselves with instead of social media, entertainment and activities. And even as we entertain ourselves, we should make sure that what we do, say and watch are honoring to Him. Choose Rest. Christ, the Lord of the Sabbath is there. Colossians 3

If then you have been raised with Christ, seek the things that are above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth. For you have died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God. When Christ who is your life appears, then you also will appear with him in glory.

Put to death therefore what is earthly in you: sexual immorality, impurity, passion, evil desire, and covetousness, which is idolatry. On account of these the wrath of God is coming. In these you too once walked, when you were living in them. But now you must put them all away: anger, wrath, malice, slander, and obscene talk from your mouth. Do not lie to one another, seeing that you have put off the old self with its practices and have put on the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge after the image of its creator. Here there is not Greek and Jew, circumcised and uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave, free; but Christ is all, and in all.

Put on then, as God’s chosen ones, holy and beloved, compassionate hearts, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience, bearing with one another and, if one has a complaint against another, forgiving each other; as the Lord has forgiven you, so you also must forgive. And above all these put on love, which binds everything together in perfect harmony. And let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in one body. And be thankful. Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, with thankfulness in your hearts to God. And whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.

Wives, submit to your husbands, as is fitting in the Lord. Husbands, love your wives, and do not be harsh with them. Children, obey your parents in everything, for this pleases the Lord. Fathers, do not provoke your children, lest they become discouraged. Bondservants, obey in everything those who are your earthly masters, not by way of eye-service, as people-pleasers, but with sincerity of heart, fearing the Lord. Whatever you do, work heartily, as for the Lord and not for men, knowing that from the Lord you will receive the inheritance as your reward. You are serving the Lord Christ. For the wrongdoer will be paid back for the wrong he has done, and there is no partiality.